Legal claims defining the scope of protection. Each claim is shown in both the original legal language and a plain English translation.
1. A capacitive-sense array comprising: a first electrode disposed along a first axis; and a second electrode disposed along the first axis, the second electrode disposed adjacent to the first electrode, wherein the capacitive-sense array comprises a sensor pitch in the first axis, wherein the first electrode comprises: a first sense element comprising a first shape; and a first interleaving sense element, wherein the first interleaving sense element is disposed to interleave with an extended portion and a base portion of the second electrode to extend a first dimension of the first electrode to be greater than the sensor pitch in the first axis, wherein the second electrode comprises: a second sense element comprising the first shape; and a second interleaving sense element, wherein the second interleaving sense element is disposed to interleave with an extended portion and a base portion of the first electrode to extend a second dimension of the second electrode to be greater than the sensor pitch in the first axis, wherein an area defined by a maximum width of the first electrode and a maximum of height of the first electrode is at least two times a product of the first dimension and the second dimension.
A capacitive touch sensor array has rows and columns of electrodes. Each electrode consists of a sensing area (a shape like a diamond) and an interleaving part that extends from that sensing area. This interleaving part weaves in between parts of neighboring electrodes in the other dimension to increase the effective size and sensitivity of each electrode. The sensor pitch is the distance between repeating elements. The interleaving section makes the overall electrode dimension larger than this sensor pitch. The overall area of each electrode is at least two times the product of electrode dimensions.
2. The capacitive-sense array of claim 1 , wherein the first sense element and the first interleaving sense element comprise a same surface area.
The capacitive touch sensor array described previously has a first sensing area and a first interleaving area with the same surface area.
3. The capacitive-sense array of claim 1 , wherein the first interleaving sense element comprises a connecting line, wherein the extended portion of the first electrode is coupled to the base portion of the first electrode by the connecting line, and wherein the extended portion of the first electrode is disposed to interleave with the extended portion and the base portion of the second electrode.
The capacitive touch sensor array described previously has a first interleaving element that connects to the main portion of the electrode with a narrow line. The interleaving section extends from the main electrode body and weaves between the neighboring electrode’s extended and base portion.
4. The capacitive-sense array of claim 3 , wherein the first shape is a solid diamond, and wherein the extended portion comprises a smaller diamond shape than the first shape.
The capacitive touch sensor array described previously has electrodes shaped like solid diamonds, with the interleaving portions being smaller diamonds extending from the main diamond shape. These smaller diamonds extend to the neighboring electrode.
5. The capacitive-sense array of claim 1 , wherein the first electrode and the second electrode are part of a first set of electrodes along the first axis, and wherein the capacitive-sense array further comprises a second set of electrodes disposed along a second axis, wherein at least one of the second set of electrodes comprises: a third sense element comprising a third shape; and a third interleaving sense element, wherein the third interleaving sense element interleaves with an extended portion and a base portion of another one of the second set of electrodes to extend a third dimension of the at least one of the second set of electrodes to be greater than a second sensor pitch of the capacitive-sense array in the second axis.
The capacitive touch sensor array has a grid layout. One set of electrodes runs along one axis (e.g. X-axis) and another set runs along another axis (e.g. Y-axis). The electrodes running along the Y-axis also have a main sensing area and an interleaving section that extends the electrode beyond the sensor pitch in the Y-axis direction. These interleaving sections weave between portions of other Y-axis electrodes.
6. The capacitive-sense array of claim 5 , wherein the first set of electrodes intersect the second set of electrodes to form a plurality of unit cells each corresponding to an intersection of a pair of electrodes comprising one electrode from the first set and one electrode from the second set.
The capacitive touch sensor array described previously has rows and columns of electrodes that intersect, forming a grid of sensing points. Each point represents where one electrode from the X-axis crosses one electrode from the Y-axis. The capacitance at these intersections is measured to detect touch events.
7. The capacitive-sense array of claim 5 , wherein the first set of electrodes comprise a modified double solid diamond (DSD) pattern, wherein the modified DSD pattern comprises: a first line of interconnected electrodes comprising first diamond shape elements and first interleaving elements that interleave with portions of the second electrode on a first side; a second line of interconnected electrodes comprising second diamond shape elements and second interleaving elements that interleave with portions of a third electrode on a second side.
The capacitive touch sensor array described previously uses a modified double solid diamond (DSD) pattern. This pattern has rows of interconnected electrodes that look like diamonds with interleaving parts on either side. These interleaving parts weave in between portions of adjacent electrode rows, effectively extending the size of each electrode.
8. The capacitive-sense array of claim 1 , wherein the first electrode and the second electrode are part of a first set of electrodes in the first axis, and wherein the capacitive-sense array further comprises a second set of electrodes disposed in a second axis, and wherein the first set of electrodes and the second set of electrodes are disposed in a single layer.
The capacitive touch sensor array has two sets of electrodes positioned along different axes. Both sets of electrodes (horizontal and vertical) are manufactured on the same layer of the device.
9. The capacitive-sense array of claim 8 , wherein the first set of electrodes and the second set of electrodes comprise a swirl region used for interleaving in the single layer.
The capacitive touch sensor array described previously has a special area or region designed for interleaving the electrodes within the same layer of the device. This region facilitates the weaving of electrodes next to each other.
10. The capacitive-sense array of claim 9 , wherein the swirl region comprise at least one of a square swirl region, a triangle swirl region, or a sector swirl region.
The interleaving region within the same layer can be designed as a square, triangle, or a sector shape to support the interleaving of the electrodes in the capacitive touch sensor array.
11. The capacitive-sense array of claim 1 , wherein the first dimension is two or more times greater than the sensor pitch in the first axis.
In the capacitive touch sensor array, the interleaving structure is aggressive. The total dimension of the electrode is at least twice the distance between the center of each sensing location.
12. A method comprising: applying a transmit (TX) signal on a first electrode of a first set of electrodes of a capacitive-sense array comprising a sensor pitch along a first axis, the first set of electrodes disposed along the first axis; measuring a receive (RX) signal on a second electrode of a second set of electrodes, wherein the second set of electrodes is disposed along a second axis, wherein the first set of electrodes intersect the second set of electrodes to form a plurality of unit cells each corresponding to an intersection of a pair of electrodes comprising one electrode from the first set and one electrode from the second set, wherein the second electrode comprises: a first sense element comprising a first shape; and a first interleaving sense element, wherein the first interleaving sense element is disposed to interleave with an extended portion and a base portion of a third electrode of the second set of electrodes, wherein the first interleaving sense element extends a first dimension of the second electrode to be greater than the sensor pitch in the first axis, wherein the third electrode comprises a second sense element comprising the first shape and a second interleaving sense element disposed to interleave with an extended portion and a base portion of the second electrode to extend a second dimension of the third electrode to be greater than the sensor pitch in the first axis; and converting the measured RX signal into a first digital value, wherein the first digital value represents a first capacitance at the intersection between the first electrode and the second electrode.
To detect a touch, a transmit signal (TX) is applied to an X-axis electrode. The receive signal (RX) is measured on a Y-axis electrode. The X and Y electrodes intersect. Each electrode has a main sensing part and an interleaving part that extends the electrode's size beyond the sensor pitch. This interleaving part weaves in between neighboring Y-axis electrodes. The measured RX signal is converted into a digital value representing the capacitance at the intersection of the X and Y electrodes.
13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising: measuring a second RX signal on the third electrode of the second set of electrodes; and converting the second RX signal into a second digital value, wherein the second digital value represents a second capacitance at the intersection between the first electrode and the third electrode.
The touch sensing method described previously measures the receive signal (RX) on a second Y-axis electrode which is then converted to a digital value. This digital value represents the capacitance at the intersection of the same X-axis electrode and this second Y-axis electrode.
14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising: applying the TX signal on a fourth electrode of the first set of electrodes; measuring a third RX signal on the second electrode; converting the third RX signal into a third digital value, wherein the third digital value represents a third capacitance at the intersection between the fourth electrode and the second electrode; measuring a fourth RX signal on the third electrode; and converting the fourth RX signal into a fourth digital value, wherein the fourth digital value represents a fourth capacitance at the intersection between the fourth electrode and the third electrode.
The touch sensing method involves applying a transmit signal (TX) to a first X-axis electrode and measuring the receive signals (RX) from two Y-axis electrodes (as described previously). Then, the transmit signal (TX) is applied to a second X-axis electrode and the receive signals (RX) are again measured on the same two Y-axis electrodes. All of these measured signals are converted into digital values, with each value representing the capacitance at the intersection of the corresponding X and Y electrodes.
15. An apparatus comprising: a capacitive-sense array of a plurality of electrodes, wherein the plurality of electrodes comprises: a first set of electrodes disposed along a first axis; and a second set of electrodes disposed along a second axis, wherein the first set of electrodes intersect the second set of electrodes to form a plurality of unit cells each corresponding to an intersection of a pair of electrodes comprising one electrode from the first set and one electrode from the second set, wherein a first electrode of the first set of electrodes comprises a first sense element comprising a first shape and a first interleaving sense element, wherein the first interleaving sense element interleaves with an extended portion and a base portion of a second electrode of the second set of electrodes, wherein the first interleaving sense element extends a first dimension of the first electrode to be greater than the sensor pitch in the first axis, wherein the first dimension is two times or greater than the sensor pitch; and a processing device coupled to the capacitive-sense array, wherein the processing device is configured to measure signals from the capacitive sense-array to determine capacitance values for the plurality of unit cells.
A capacitive touch sensing device includes a grid of electrodes arranged along X and Y axes. Each electrode has a sensing part and an interleaving part. The interleaving part extends the electrode's length beyond the sensor pitch, at least two times greater than the sensor pitch, and it weaves between portions of neighboring electrodes. A processing unit measures capacitance at each intersection point in the electrode grid to determine touch locations.
16. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the first sense element and the first interleaving sense element comprise a same surface area, and wherein the first interleaving sense element comprises a connecting line, wherein the extended portion of the first electrode of the first set of electrodes is coupled to the base portion of the first electrode of the first set of electrodes via the connecting line.
In the capacitive touch sensing device, the sensing and interleaving sections of each electrode have the same area. The interleaving section connects to the main body of the electrode through a narrow connecting line.
17. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the second electrode comprises: a second sense element comprising the first shape; and a second interleaving sense element, wherein the second interleaving sense element interleaves with an extended portion and a base portion of the first interleaving sense element to extend a second dimension of the second electrode to be greater than the sensor pitch in the first axis, wherein the second dimension is two times or greater than the sensor pitch.
In the capacitive touch sensing device, both X-axis and Y-axis electrodes have a sensing section and an interleaving section. The interleaving section extends from the sensing area and weaves between portions of neighboring electrodes, increasing the overall size of the electrode at least two times the sensor pitch.
18. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein at least one of the second set of electrodes comprises: a third sense element comprising a third shape; and a third interleaving sense element, wherein the third interleaving sense element is disposed to interleave with an extended portion and a base portion of another one of the second set of electrodes to extend a third dimension of the at least one of the second set of electrodes to be greater than a sensor pitch of the capacitive-sense array in the second axis, wherein the third dimension is at least two times or greater than the sensor pitch in the second axis.
Some Y-axis electrodes include a third sensing region and a third interleaving structure. This third interleaving structure weaves in between other adjacent Y-axis electrodes and increases the dimension of those electrodes along the Y-axis to be at least two times greater than the sensor pitch in the Y-axis direction.
19. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the first set of electrodes and the second set of electrodes are disposed in a single layer.
The capacitive touch sensing device has all electrodes (both X and Y axes) built on the same layer of the device.
Unknown
October 28, 2014
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